Improvement in automatic fly-bushes



L. D. HOWARD.

' Automatic Fly-Bushes.

Patented Sept, 22,187?r Mons-5,308.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LYMAN D. HOWARD, OF DRURYS BLUFF, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN AUTOMATIC FLV-BUSHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 155,308, dated September 2'2, 1874; application filed July 1, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LYMAN D. HOWARD, of

v Drurys Bluff, in Ohesterfield county and State of Virginia, have invented an Automatic Fly- Bush, of which the following is a specification:

In all automatic devices heretofore invented to disturb and drive away flies from a dinnertable or other locality a vibratory or rotary motion has been adopted as the principle of action. These motions being continuous and without variation, the flies very soon become accustomed to them, and consequently are not disturbed thereby.

The object of my invention is to produce an automatic apparatus having an intermittent and sudden action or motion similar to that produced by a person with a bush or feather brush in hand, used for the above named purpose; and it consists of an intermittent drop motion of the bush or its equivalent also, in a combination of spiral and bowed springs as a means of suspending and continuing the disturbed or vibratory motion of the pendent bushes; and in the application of a cast-off suitable cam for effecting such motion of the bushes; and in other details which will be more particularly described hereinafter.

In the drawing accompanying this specification, Figure 1 represents my invention as having its operative mechanism located in the base of any stationary article of table furniture. Fig. 2 shows, in face and edge views, one means of communicating the intermittent motion to the bushes.

Having any suitable operating mechanism, with spring or other motive power, located either on the table, suspended from a chandelier or gasalier, or attached to a wall or other convenient position in the same or an adjoining apartment, I arrange one or more bushes, A, of artificial flowers, shavings, strips of paper, or other suitable material, suspended by bowed wires or springs B, having sections 0 of spiral or helical wires or springs in suitable portions thereof and compensating-springs D for attachment of the cords E, so as to produce the desired disturbing action of the bushes over a table, bedstead, or in any other desired locality. The bowed wires or springs B are attached at their one or fulcrum end to a pendent portion of the gasalier or to any other convenient article as a base, While the bowed portion is attached to or suspended by a cord, wire, or chain, E, connected by an elastic medium, D, and which cord E is attached at its other end to the cast-off cam H, or other suitable device, to effect the intermittent drop motion before referred to, the spring-sections 0 giving a continued up-and-down motion to the bush after being dropped.

This apparatus may be operated so that the bushes shall have theirintermittent drop motion over one spot, or they may have a rotating motion, also, around a common axis, either in a circular, elliptical, or other course, by attaching the fixed ends of the wires B to a 1'0- tating disk, N, operated by the same propelling mechanism as operates the drop-motion, and supporting them in such rotation by a circular, elliptic, parallelogrammic, or other shaped guide, I, to direct their course.

The bushes A are attached to the bowed wires or springs B by a cord, L, passed between the jaws of a spring clamping device, J, at the extremity of the bow-springs B, so that the elevation of said bushes may be adjusted by simply pulling them up or down by said cord.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The spiral sections 0, in combination with the bowed wires or springs B, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a fly-disturber, a cast-off cam, H, for producing a drop motion of the bushes, substantially as described.

3. The spring-clip J, for adjustably holding the pendent cord L of the bushes A, to regulate the elevation of the latter, as described.

4. The stationary guide I, in combination with the rotating base N and the bowed wires B, for the purpose specified.

L. D. HOWARD.

Witnesses:

W. MoRRIs SMITH, JAS. G. SMITH. 

